My Opiate Addiction

Although I spent a couple of years addicted to oxycodone, hydrocodone, OxyContin, morphine, Suboxone, and any other opioids I could purchase illegally from dealers, the last four months of my addiction

I was a heroin addict.

I started smoking heroin because it was cheaper and easier to find than pills at that point in my life.

And while I could maintain a job and pay my bills when I took prescription drugs…heroin addiction was a different animal entirely.

I became some type of demon.

I lost my job, lost my girlfriend, lost my mind, pawned my guitars, and even began lying to my parents and stealing money from them!!!

I was totally out of control.

Luckily, I was able to make a quick and lasting recovery using an effective combination of medications and supplements, which I will go into detail about in this article.

My Addiction

Before I got off opiates, I had been taking pills for around two years, then heroin for around four months. I had successfully quit twice, though the first time I relapsed after a week, and the second time I relapsed within four months.

The final time I quit, I had been using approximately 0.5 to 1.0 grams of heroin a day, by a method of smoking the heroin on aluminum foil.

I was “chasing the dragon.”

To try and quit I went to my doctor hoping to get a prescription for Suboxone.

Within less than 24 hours, I had overdosed and was rushed to the hospital, where they saved my life. I had used the powerful medicine combo to get high and almost died because of my addiction.

I got out of the hospital a week later, and I knew I had to do things differently this time around. Here is what I did to conquer my opiate addiction…

Week 1

I left the hospital with instructions to take 40 mg of methadone a day. Yes…the same medicine that almost killed me before!!! However, this time I was taking much less.

When I overdosed I had taken well over 200 mg in less than 24 hours, and I used around 40 mg of Valium with it.

This time my mom kept the methadone hidden.

Since I didn’t want to get stuck on methadone, I only took 40 mg for seven days, and I didn’t use any Valium with it.

My mom gave me 40 mg every morning, and even when I asked for more at times, she didn’t budge.

This amount was enough to prevent withdrawal symptoms, and most of the opiate cravings, though not all of them.

During the first seven days quitting opiates, the 40 mg of methadone was all I used, and I just went to school and went about my life.

Week 2

After a week on 40 mg of methadone, I quit taking it and switched over to Valium and loperamide HCL. Week 2 I used 30 mg of Valium a day, which was divided into three doses…morning, noon, and night.

I used around 10 mg of loperamide per day, which was divided into two or three doses. I did this for about 4 days after getting off methadone, but I kept taking the Valium.

I started going to AA meetings, and for breakfast every morning, I had Kona coffee, donuts, and cigarettes.

Not exactly the healthiest choice, but this combination of Valium, caffeine, high sugar and smokes seemed to really help me stay off opiates.

I was also going for long walks most evenings (60-90 minutes), which really helped me feel better.

Week 3

By the time I started Week 3, I had just started a month break from college. I didn’t have a job either, and since my parents were helping take care of my daughter, this was the ideal time to continue recovering from opiate addiction, while also starting to taper off Valium.

During week three, I cut my Valium down to 20 mg a day, as I was aiming to get off soon and didn’t want to have Valium withdrawal symptoms or get stuck on the medicine.

I kept going to AA meetings, I was still going on long walks, and I continued having Kona coffee and donuts for breakfast, and smoked cigarettes throughout the day.

Week 4

During week 4, I cut my Valium down to 10 mg a day for a few days, then 5 mg a day for a few days, then I stopped taking it.

I continued having Kona coffee, donuts and smokes for breakfast, kept up with my evening walks, and I was still going to AA meetings.

To come off the Valium with ease, I took passion flower and other sedative herbs. This seemed to really help.

Weeks 5-6

Around Week 5 is when I seriously changed things up. I stopped going to AA meetings because I didn’t feel I needed them as a crutch anymore.

I also quit smoking cigarettes.

To quit smoking, I used a nicotine patch for one week.

Then I used nicotine gum for a few days.

Finally, I started rolling my own lobelia cigarettes for about a week. Lobelia is an herb that binds to nicotine receptors in the body, thus reducing withdrawal symptoms and cravings.

I smoked a few herbal cigarettes a day then tapered down to one every few days, then I just stopped. I had no nicotine withdrawal symptoms.

Hooray for lobelia!!!

Next, I quit drinking coffee, soda, and energy drinks, and anything else with caffeine. I eliminated sugar from my diet and began eating more organic whole foods.

During this same time, I also began taking the following supplements:

Dopatone

Gabatone

A family member bought them for me and told me they would help to restore my brain chemistry that was damaged from years of opiate and benzodiazepine abuse.

They worked very well!!!

My mood was better than ever before, and I didn’t crave drugs whatsoever.

Note:After studying supplements for opiate recovery for over 5 years now, I recommend people use a combination of an Opiate Withdrawal Supplement and DLPA. This is more powerful than the products I used, and it’s much less expensive.

Recap

During these first six weeks of getting off heroin, fortunately, I had no job and only about a week of school. This helped a lot. However, I did have to go to court for a custody battle one morning, which was very stressful.

I got full custody because I was not on drugs and the mother of my child was still using heroin.

I had quit opiates before with only a three-day weekend then back to work and taking care of a baby, and that was very difficult, but I got through it.

This final attempt at quitting opiates was much easier because I had a month off school and no job. I also had help from my parents taking care of my toddler.

I took methadone for a week, Valium for three weeks, then I got off all medicine and even quit smoking and quit drinking caffeine.

I began eating healthy, exercising more, and I started taking supplements to restore healthy neurotransmission in my brain, which all helped to enhance my mood and eliminate drug cravings.

My Message to You

I hope you got some good tips and ideas from reading about my first six weeks off opiates. I also hope you received some motivation, and perhaps a little inspiration.

Anyone can quit using opiates.

You just need the right plan, the right timing, and the right amount of motivation or leverage.

Matt Finch

Matt helps men and women that are dependent on opiates learn how to get off these drugs without getting sick. He is a former opiate addict and a former Substance Abuse Counselor at an Opiate Treatment Program (OTP). Matt has since become an Opiate Recovery Coach, Author, and Speaker.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

Brother I’ve been following you via your site all summer, long time sufferer. I’ve NEVER “participated” in ANYTHING this public/open—so TERRIFIED! But bought some products and followed some advice—couple with the LOVE EMANATING FROM YOUR READERS—and saw my life IMPROVE. NOW, I’ve bought the FULL range of products via your click through—-and have nearly TWO DOZEN SUFFERERS WATCHING ME CLOSELY FOR THE “ WHAT NEXT”! BROTHER YOUR GROUP SAVES LIVES DAILY! THANK YOU!

Other than being a daddy to my 8-year-old daughter, the next best thing in my life is reading comments like yours. It shows that this website is making a difference. And that makes my heart sing. To know that this information is helping you turn your life around brings me “Ultimate Joy.”

A type of joy that comes from helping others overcome one of the most difficult obstacles there is in life. I commend you on your progress, and I’m grateful that you decided to leave a public comment here. Take care, and I’m sending you positive vibes your way, Reg. 🙂

Hi, I just wanted to thank you so much! I was on various different opiates since I was 18 and I’m now 33. I read your article about dlpa and other natural supplements and it helped me seamlessly get off the suboxone I was on for the last 5yrs. I’m greatful for your advice and inspiration. I’ve been clean now for almost 2mths and I’ve never felt better!!

Awe what an awesome success story and heartfelt comment!!! Thank you so much!!! Congratulations on attaining “Freedom from Opioid Dependence.” You totally made my day by posting this comment. 🙂 I wish you all the best life has to offer, Larissa.

Matt, I have been on methadone for over 5years then got off and went straight to h, I am now on day 5 and it’s not going as well as I had hoped! I still am feeling pretty heavy wds what should I increase at this point from a vitamin standpoint if anything? I am trying to follow the Thomas recipe and spent over 150$ on vitamins just wanted to ask?

I feel for you bro iv been addict for 45 years and for the first time in them years I’m on my 3rd week clea and I’m going to tell you straight it’s not going to be easy I was usin crack heroin methadone and anything I could get my hands on I was a mess T was time.I started tapering my meth and cut the rest out I got to my last 5 ml of meth an then none it was hard then I started takin three vitamins that seemed to help no end zing vit c an vit d I doubled up on them an within days I felt myself lifting try em bro can’t hurt and there on the cheaper scale

I went to Mexico, Ibogaine Clinic. Today is Day 18 without suboxone. I was on 8 to 12mgs for 8 years. I feel minor WD’s but are manageable. All the people who’ve been thru this experience tell me each week gets better& better If, anyone out there is thinking about switching to suboxone, make certain it’s very short term. This DRUG, is synthetically produced by big pharmaceutical to keep you enslaved forever. Be very careful of suboxone. Use NO MORE than 8 mgs for 2weeks then Stop. I’m almost free from this poison, my libido bounced back Thank God! And, I know that my energy & aches will get better in time. If you cannot do it yourself and can afford it. Try Ibogaine.

I have been on a recovery mission for two months after abusing opiates recreationally for six years. Its a long story but here’s the short version.

I lost my job of 15 years began taking oxycodone 30 mg five times a day or more. I quickly became immune to the effect and was having to take more. I thought about herion but never ventured into the world of heroin use. Something kept saying telling me I would die and knowing me I was heading that way.

I have quit taking opiates completely with the help of methadone, 90 ,7.5 percocet, calm support and 50mg tramadol. Heres how i did it.

I went to methadone clinic for 30 days deciding I did not want to be dependent on methadone I purchased a prescription of percocet. I saved a couple of my doses of methadone 35 mg and devided it up into four days. I tapered that and took percocet for breakthough withdrawals. I ended up taking all the percocet in a matter of 12 days. Never got high from the percocet before i ran out i ordered Calm support and trammadol. I took the remainder of the percs then started calm support and 100 mg of trammodol three times a day for seven days then stopped the trammadol. After reading many articles that you’ve wrote I decided on this plan. I did not know if i would be successful but so far I have been. After seven weeks i am free from opiates. The withdrawals were minimal. Still there but very minimal. This is my success story not traditional but it worked for me. Thank you for your advice. Free at last!

Tena I’m so proud of you!!! That is such an awesome story you wrote!! Almost nobody gets off methadone once they start taking it. Well done!! Your story was very inspirational, and I love the strategy you used. This made my day! 🙂

I did the same thing after I got off Suboxone. 4 months later I thought I could get high “just one time…” …then it turned into daily use right away and 6 months later I graduated from pills to heroin addiction. Some people die from a relapse, others do it often and keep relapsing, and others eventually quit for good. Opioid dependence is scary!!

I was in prison buying subutex tablets and smoking them then suboxone strips. I eventually went on the methadone. Before prison i only used uper drugs like cocaine ecstacy ice and lsd. Mainly coke and lsd. But going to prison looking at maybe a life sentence i turned to the only drug available in australian prisons. I am out of prison 10.5 years later and have now been on methadone for 5 years . Mainly between 40 and 120 milligrams. My plan now is to come down to 30 milligrams and swap over to the suboxone which alot of people i know have done. Then take that for 2 to 3 months tapering down just to get the methadone( biodone), out of my bones.Yes in australia we dont get real methadone , we get biodone which will come out of your system quicker than methadone as its water based not oil based like authentic methadone. Wow i cant believe i just called methadone authentic. Anyway i have ordered a supply of redicalm which has all the ingredients you recommend to prepare for when i finally get off the suboxone. I am bearly ready to transfer to suboxone. Its taken 9 months coming down slowly from 120 mg . I started in prison as i wanged to get out with a new mindset and new life. Im on 32.5 mgs now and in 2 weeks ill be on 30 mg and my doctor told me that if im on 30 mg i can swap 24 hours later. In prison i used to take bup whilst on methadone as long as i was under 25 mg of biodone otherwise you go into withdrawals. Ive read lots of different readings on the net saying i will have to hang out for 48 hours but my friends have swapped after 24 hours, my opiate replacment doctor has sais i just have to begin going into withdrawals but 24 hours should be fine. I would just like to know what you think and also if you think that my plan of swapping to suboxone and tapering off the suboxone once the methadone is out of my system is a good plan as suboxone is only a 3 to 4 day withdrawal. I know you have to get over the psycholgical addiction as well as the physical. My mother and father were herion addicts when i was conceived so i was addicted from birth. I have taken drugs since 10 years old and have an extremly addictive nature. Ciggarettes coffee. Anything i take i exceed excess. But 10 years in prison and many many courses in jail on drug addiction and the main point of my mother nearly dying while i was inside. She had cancer. It really woke me up to my selfish behavior as she had no one to take care of her while dying. But she miraculously survived and i have been givin a new chance at a new life. I am ready psychologically to stop drugs and start experiencing real life. If been in la la land for 32 year now. Im 42 nearly 43. Please can you tell me if i. On the right path with my whole plan. Kindest regards andrew ben deakin

You sound like you are on a wonderful path and I’m so happy to hear about your progress. I had many patients on methadone get down to 30 mg then make the switch to Suboxone. It can be a very helpful method. I wish you the best of luck and I thank you for sharing some of your story.

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